- Ulster v Benetton Rugby - Under 43.5 pts (5/6)
- Leinster v Dragons - Dragons +13 h/t handicap (5/6)
- Zebre v Cardiff Blues - Zebre +7 (10/11)
No catch 22 for Ulster
Benetton have only beaten an Irish side once – Connacht in 2016 – and Ulster’s record at the Kingspan suggests it’ll be another fruitless trip.
The Belfast-based province go into the game looking to stretch their unbeaten home run to 23 matches; it is now almost two years since they last lost on their own patch.
Will there be a hangover from their PRO14 final defeat to Leinster and Champions Cup quarter-final at the hands of Toulouse? Maybe. But what better remedy than taking on an Italian side first up.
Benetton have won at Zebre and Dragons in their last two outings away from home, but given the form of their opponents at the time, that’s not an accurate indication of their ability on the road.
However, they will take some encouragement on hearing that Ulster have named Michael Lowry as a makeshift fly-half with Billy Burns and Ian Madigan not included in the matchday 23.
The full-back filled in there when Burns limped off against Toulouse but Benetton will look to capitalise on his inexperience in the playmaking role. Having Marvell Coetzee back at No.8 is a massive boost, though.
Ulster to win but it may not be flashy.
Bench pressing concern for Dragons
Internationals will be everywhere you look at the RDS Arena tonight.
So for rugby betting purposes, our focus is on the respective benches, not the starting XVs.
Dean Ryan’s Dragons have Ross Moriarty and Aaron Wainright in a robust-looking starting pack and Jamie Roberts and Nick Tompkins will provide plenty of go-forward outside of fly-half Sam Davies.
However, with the likes of Garry Ringrose and Johnny Sexton in the backs and Scott Fardy back in the pack, Leinster can more than match them in virtually every department in the starting line-ups, and crucially have the edge when it comes to the replacements.
In Sean Cronin, Cian Healy and Andrew Porter, they have three class front-row forwards to bring on, while Luke McGrath and Ross Byrne offer plenty, if required, at half-back, which is why we think three-time champions Leinster might pull away after the break following a close first 40.
Tearing a strip off the Blues
Blues fans will think, ‘oh no, here we go again’ if their side slip up away from home again; the capital club have not won on the road in the league since December 2019.
Blues are the most consistent of inconsistent sides and this fixture has potential banana skin written all over it. Talisman Josh Navidi misses out with concussion and it will be up to Cory Hill to steer them home as captain.
Second-from-bottom finishes in their respective Conferences in 2019/20 alludes to a game of fine margins and no much in the way of form.
Only seven points have split the teams in the last three encounters in Parma and Blues will be happy to come away with a smash-and-grab win, possibly by less than the seven-point handicap.
